This is my entire set up, lights and all.

The lighting set up. I used a bounce card (foamcore) to get light in through the attic window. The glass set up (the photo is at a weird angle) created the dappled lighting in the attic. I used an orange gel on the light, then mounted the glass on a C stand, as well as a cardboard “cookie” to get the effect I wanted. The end result was pretty sweet.

This is me sculpting Grace’s (my puppet) face, getting her ready to start shooting.

Left: I moved and stabilized Grace’s feet my screwing them down into homasote. Her shoes were designed with grooves for the screws and with the ability to peel back and then replace to hind them. Gotta love silicone.

Right: Me sitting in front of the computer with my capture program, Dragon. Not a bad little program, though I would have had a lot less aggravation with it if it hadn’t been my first time ever using it. I had to learn how to use it and all of its little quirks on the fly. I made it through somehow.

The entire set, mid shoot. I was very pleased with the overall look I achieved.

Me animating.

The scene I chose is near the climax of the book, when Merle (in red here) and Junipa (in green) are fleeing Axis Mundi (Hell) and Lord Light on Vermithax’s back. Vermithrax is an obsidian lion that can talk (and fly), but here he is glowing because he has been dipped in something called the Stone Light. Not curious yet? Merle and Vermithrax are on a mission to save the Flowing Queen, whom Merle swallowed in Venice, and defeat the sphinx commanders before they awaken the Son of the Mother. And Junipa, who was blind, can now see into other worlds because her eyes were replaced with shards of magic mirrors. 

This is a great trilogy, even if you are past your teen years. Read it!